The Wilmingtonian., 1887-12-10
PRICE TWO GENTS

potatoes weighing SO pounds; caDDa8e, uu-
stripped, 81 pounds; pumpkins, $50 pounds;
squashes, 80 to 100 pounds; melons, carrots,
celery, caulihower, tomatoes, turnips, beets,
onions, Strawberries, raspberTies, etc, Of
like growth and excellence. There
were also very fine exhibits Of apples,
plums, apricOts and pears, and va
riety Of grapes that, for lusciousness, sweet
ness and tonnage to the acre, can scarcely be
excelled in the ripest and richest districts in
California. There can be no question that
southwestern Colorado and northwestern
New Mexico are destined to take high rank
as agricultural and horticultural districts
The Los Pinos region, San Juan, Montezuma,
Mascon, Animss and La Plata valleys, rang
ing In altitude from 4 500 to 800 feet, are
all closely sheltered by mountains rising to
heights of 5000 to 5000 feet above their
n1esas-an well watered by mountain streams
and larger rivers, susceptible of easy irriga-
tion and as rich as the delta of the Nile
Very little snow falls in these valleys, but
the rain precipitation is much greater than
in the parks and valleys ON the eastern slopes.
Irrigation is not extensively resorted to. and
many of the finest specimens ON exhibition
were the products of non-irrigated farms and
gardens.
closely walled in on all sides by mountains
rising 5000 feet above her level, a population
of 5000, is the county seat of La Plata
county-a county as large as the state of
Connecticut-fne school houses, good
works, grain elevator, two excellent morn
ing papers-in word, full equipment for
q thrifty, vigorous rising young city, with
ores enough at her very doorway to supply
the world for thousand years, a tributary
agricultural country to sustain city of 100,-
900 inhabitants and to crown her prosperity
she is nestled in the very heart of the richest
gold and silver bearing fields Of southern
Colorado and northern New Mexico.
"All aboard for Denver and the train
soon speeds across the valley of Los Pinos,
traverses the Ute reservation and winds up
the mountain spurs and deep ravines to
Cumbress pass. AT Chama we get superb
dinner, and take last look at the profound
depths and snow capped peaks and then
whirl away to Toltec gorge. Here we halt
to pay homage to a beautiful granite monu-
ment erected by the National Association of
General Passenger Agents to the memory of
President Garfield. 1t stands on a narrow
ledge, directly over the gorge and near the
entrance to the Toltoc tunnel. A tremen-
dous gorge, whose sides are splintered rocks
and monumental crags, and whose
depths are filled with the snow. white
waters of a foaming torrent, lies be-
meath him, the blue sky is above him,
and all around the majesty and mystery of
the mountains. We descend this river by
winding around the spurs gulches, gorges
and ravines, are hurled through Phantom
curve-and a thousand other curves that
double on each other and leave the traveller
in doubt whether the genius that made the
track was going north or coming back Like
bird that has taken an aerial flight, we ex-
perience reposeful sensation when bright,
beautiful San Luis again bursts upon the
view to the eastward. Up the valley for
fifty miles orr gallant engineer plays with
his charming little machine, talks kindly to
her, springs the valve another notch and she
literally flies-the distance is accomplished
in fifty minutes
Indeed the whole Denver and Rio Grande
system, which placed its resources at the
command of the association, is a marvel in
itself; and it is but proper to add that much
of the pleasure of the trip is due to s. X.
Hooper, Esq, the general passenger agent,
and his genial literary assistant, Mr.. Stanley
Wood, who were unremitting in their atten-
tions.
We now turn eastward for twenty miles
across the valley, pass under the shadow Of
Sierra Blanca, and begin to climb the precip-
itous and grandly sentineled range to La
Veta pass AS VIC ascend we gradually grow
conscious of change of temperature, and at
the pass we find ourselves suspended 0,3a2
feet above the water level in sitting snow
storm.
Plessla1.t - now calls n snoetinl,sat tho
association, fintA resoIutioiis Of apprele esitson
and thanks are adopted, pleasant geodbys
are interchanged, and the third aniflinl ses-
sion of tho National Editorial association Is
pronounced adjourned sine die.
The series of resolutions declaring the imA
pressions, pleasures and general and special
Acknowledgements Of the editorial excursion
lists will be printed in IN illustrated book OF
proceedings and travels.
b. b. HERBERT, Mimi,
]. r. Belts, Ark,
WM KENNEDY, Pa, COMMITTEES.
c. w. STYLES, Tex,
A II. LowRIE, Ills,